The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to turbine engines and, more particularly, to a fuel injection assembly for use in turbine engines.
At least some known turbine engines are used in cogeneration facilities and power plants. Such engines may have high specific work and power per unit mass flow requirements. To increase the operating efficiency, at least some known turbine engines, such as gas turbine engines, may operate with increased combustion temperatures. Generally, in at least some known gas turbine engines, engine efficiency increases as combustion gas temperatures increase.
However, operating known turbine engines with higher temperatures may also increase the generation of polluting emissions, such as oxides of nitrogen (NOX). In an attempt to reduce the generation of such emissions, at least some known turbine engines include improved combustion system designs. For example, many combustion systems may use premixing technology that includes tube assemblies or micro-mixers that facilitate mixing substances, such as diluents, gases, and/or air with fuel to generate a fuel mixture for combustion. Premixing technology may also allow hydrogen doping. In a hydrogen doping process, hydrogen gas (H2) is mixed with fuel, prior to the fuel mixture being channeled to fuel nozzles. Hydrogen doping has been shown to reduce emission levels and helps reduce the likelihood of combustor lean blow out (LBO). However, the use of hydrogen doping may be limited.
In at least some known combustion systems, a downstream end and/or aft plate of a fuel injection assembly is exposed to a combustion chamber. Combustion of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber may impart thermal strains on the downstream end and/or aft plate of the fuel injection assembly. Further, conduits and/or tubes within the fuel injection assembly used with hydrogen doping are also exposed to high temperatures. Over time, continued exposure to the high temperatures and thermal strains may damage and/or decrease the longevity of one or more components of the fuel injection assembly.